* Special cell being set up to monitor utilization of funds
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 13: With major issues vis-à-vis Rs 1500 crore World Bank aid to the flood-ravaged State having been deliberated upon, a tripartite agreement is going to be signed shortly between Jammu and Kashmir Government, Union Finance Ministry and the World Bank for utilization of the earmarked financial assistance.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that World Bank team, which arrived here on March 10 for three-day visit, had detailed deliberations with the State Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu, Principal Secretary Finance, Bharat Bhushan Vyas and concerned authorities of some other departments to ascertain view point of the State Government on Rs 1500 crore assistance agreed to by the World Bank.
During these deliberations, the World Bank team explicitly conveyed to the State Government that it would have to utilize the assistance strictly as per its guidelines and to ensure the same, the Government would have to identify nodal department, which would not only coordinate with the World Bank but monitor utilization of funds also.
After these deliberations and as desired by the World Bank team, the State Government wrote to the Union Finance Ministry about its readiness to utilize the assistance as per the pattern shared with it by the visiting World Bank team, sources said. “Like Asian Development Bank, the World Bank norms for utilization of its assistance are very stringent and transparent and the visiting team wanted to apprise the State Government about this aspect in explicit terms”, they added.
The strictness of the norms can be gauged from the fact that World Bank wants to ensure proper rehabilitation of even a single person if he gets affected due to the work executed by utilizing its funds, sources said.
“Now, a tripartite agreement is going to be signed shortly between Jammu and Kashmir Government, Union Finance Ministry and the World Bank”, they said, adding “in the agreement each and every aspect would be clearly defined so that State Government doesn’t find any scope for deviation from the guidelines and earmarked funds are utilized in the specific sectors”.
They disclosed that during his meeting with the visiting World Bank team, State Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu assured that State Government would ensure utmost transparency in the utilization of funds and complete the projects within the stipulated time-frame so that infrastructure damaged during the devastating floods of September last year is rebuilt for the convenience of the people.
According to the sources, the World Bank, while fixing sector wise allocation, has conveyed to the State Government that it can utilize the assistance even for strengthening of that infrastructure in the identified sectors, which has turned weak during the floods but not suffered any damage.
Roads and Buildings would be the major beneficiary of the World Bank assistance as it has earmarked around Rs 600 crore for this sector on the basis of assessment carried out by its team during earlier visit when they went to each and every affected part of the State.
For damaged urban infrastructure, the World Bank has fixed around Rs 250 crore, which would be utilized on reconstruction and strengthening of pump houses, drainages and flood control infrastructure. Similarly, it has fixed Rs 250 crore for reconstruction and strengthening of infrastructure in the health sector.
Sufficient amount has also been fixed for strengthening of disaster management infrastructure like providing of sophisticated and modern equipment to State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services Department and establishment of Emergency Operation Centres etc.
According to the sources, an amount of around Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for rebuilding and strengthening of infrastructure in social welfare sector. A part of this amount would be utilized for empowering Self Help Groups being established by Women Development Corporation and artisans, whose livelihood suffered severe setback during the floods. Similarly, this amount would be used for rebuilding of damaged infrastructure in industrial sector.
An amount of around Rs 60 crore has also been fixed for rebuilding of infrastructure in education sector.
It is pertinent to mention here that 19-member World Bank team headed by Sourabh Dhani conducted extensive visit of flood hit areas of both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir like Srinagar, Udhampur, Poonch-Rajouri, Reasi and different parts of South and North Kashmir for on spot assessment of losses. The decision about Rs 1500 crore assistance was taken on the basis of this detailed exercise.
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